NO on Measure S (June 2016)

This measure was defeated – 8,130 votes No to 8,081 votes Yes! Unfortunately, there will be yet another sales tax increase on the November 2016 ballot; unfortunately this background information is still relevant to the unchanged project – click here for more information on the new ballot measures.

This is a sales tax hike covering just a PORTION OF THE INITIAL MATCHING FUNDS for construction towards tripling the size of the county jail. It won’t pay for running this massive new facility – they’ll need to raid the reserves and issue “non-traditional debt” on what we already own. Measure S is a JOBS KILLER that sends more money north to sales tax-free Oregon.

Our voters rejected attempts to build prisons in 1987 and 1994, and this plan is more of the same. Once again, the State of California is offering “free money” to disadvantaged communities willing to “solve” its “big government” prison-overcrowding problem. Taking in criminals from state prisons does not benefit rural economies, as we learned once before.

We simply can’t fight crime by undermining local businesses that create jobs and opportunities. Let’s deal with the root economic conditions that drive crime here, not make them WORSE.

The county’s total population has declined in recent years, up by just 4% since the 68 bed facility (already expanded to 104 beds) was built in 1988. Now this planned build-out triples the jail’s size to 300 inmates or more (the numbers they give keep changing)!

Who are the people in the jail? Are they all dangerous felons?

Well, the truth is: they can’t afford bail, so we’re feeding them. In 2011, 83% had not yet been sentenced. Will the new inmates be locals? Or an overflow of hardened urban criminals from the teeming state prisons? What happens if they are released here and decide to stay?

The state gave Siskiyou County $27 million towards jail construction, then rejected $16.8 million more the county requested. Now we hear $10 million from this tax increase will be enough – for now? Tell the truth – in your lifetime, have you seen a sales tax hike go away, ever?

Let’s promote, not harm local businesses. Let’s invest in education and infrastructure to attract technology jobs and increase tourism. We know there’s actually more crime when jobs leave – destroying the ones we have left won’t make us safer. Let’s buy ankle bracelets for monitoring, not housing pre-sentencing inmates. Vote NO – this is a tax increase we just can’t afford!

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